Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsMercedes

Rosberg to rely on latest-spec Monza engine for Singapore

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Nico Rosberg's Mercedes will be powered this weekend by the unit which was hastily replaced at Monza after Saturday's free practice session.

A thorough analysis of the power unit which expired a few laps from the end of the Italian Grand Prix, causing Rosberg's demise and zero point tally, revealed that the engine was beyond repair. It was Mercedes first engine failure of the season.

"Up until Monza we had a clean slate," commented Mercedes F1 non-executive chairman Niki Lauda. "To suffer a failure after 3.615 kilometers is absolutely understandable."

The latest specification unit, identical to the one which powered Lewis Hamilton to victory in Italy and which was replaced before qualifying, will therefore be installed once again in the German's car following Mercedes engineers' conclusion that no damage had been caused to the engine itself.

It will be Rosberg's fourth power unit of the season, putting the German at the risk of incurring a 10-place grid penalty should a fifth Mercedes unit be required by the end of the current campaign.

On the run-up to Monza, Mercedes used up its entire allocation of development tokens on the new unit which included substantial modifications conducted in association with fuel supplier Petronas and linked to the engine's cylinder head.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.